The American eBook

“Exactly. I noticed him perfectly; be sure
I do him justice. He has had losses, des malheurs,
as we say. He is very low-spirited, and his daughter
is too much for him. He is the pink of respectability,
and he has sixty years of honesty on his back.
All this I perfectly appreciate. But I know my
fellow-men and my fellow-Parisians, and I will make
a bargain with you.” Newman gave ear to
his bargain and he went on. “He would rather
his daughter were a good girl than a bad one, but if
the worst comes to the worst, the old man will not
do what Virginius did. Success justifies everything.
If Mademoiselle Noemie makes a figure, her papa will
feel—­well, we will call it relieved.
And she will make a figure. The old gentleman’s
future is assured.”

“I don’t know what Virginius did, but
M. Nioche will shoot Miss Noemie,” said Newman.
“After that, I suppose his future will be assured
in some snug prison.”

“I am not a cynic; I am simply an observer,”
Valentin rejoined. “Mademoiselle Noemie
interests me; she is extremely remarkable. If
there is a good reason, in honor or decency, for dismissing
her from my thoughts forever, I am perfectly willing
to do it. Your estimate of the papa’s sensibilities
is a good reason until it is invalidated. I promise
you not to look at the young girl again until you tell
me that you have changed your mind about the papa.
When he has given distinct proof of being a philosopher,
you will raise your interdict. Do you agree to
that?”

“Do you mean to bribe him?”

“Oh, you admit, then, that he is bribable?
No, he would ask too much, and it would not be exactly
fair. I mean simply to wait. You will continue,
I suppose, to see this interesting couple, and you
will give me the news yourself.”

“Well,” said Newman, “if the old
man turns out a humbug, you may do what you please.
I wash my hands of the matter. For the girl herself,
you may be at rest. I don’t know what harm
she may do to me, but I certainly can’t hurt
her. It seems to me,” said Newman, “that
you are very well matched. You are both hard
cases, and M. Nioche and I, I believe, are the only
virtuous men to be found in Paris.”

Soon after this M. de Bellegarde, in punishment for
his levity, received a stern poke in the back from
a pointed instrument. Turning quickly round he
found the weapon to be a parasol wielded by a lady
in green gauze bonnet. Valentin’s English
cousins had been drifting about unpiloted, and evidently
deemed that they had a grievance. Newman left
him to their mercies, but with a boundless faith in
his power to plead his cause.

CHAPTER XII

Three days after his introduction to the family of
Madame de Cintre, Newman, coming in toward evening,
found upon his table the card of the Marquis de Bellegarde.
On the following day he received a note informing
him that the Marquise de Bellegarde would be grateful
for the honor of his company at dinner.